Photo- Brit valor Award to Americans for D-Day

[captaxe]

I recently picked up this period photo of Monty awarding British Distinguished Service Orders to a group of Americans, presumably for their actions on or immediately after D-Day. Easily identified in the picture are MG Maxwell Taylor of the 101st Airborne, BG Dutch Cota of the 29th ID, Col. Charles Canham of the 116th Regiment, 29th Division and James Van Fleet (commanded the 8th Regiment of the 4th Division during D-Day but in the photos is wearing the 2nd Division SSI-- he was likely Asst. Div. Cmdr of the 2nd at this time).

 

Is their any way to identify, possibly via awards of the British DSO to American troops, who the captain and the T/Sgt to the right of the photo are? I would think that it was somewhat uncommon for Americans to receive this award-- any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

[captaxe]

Close up of the two unid'd soldiers and the full censor info on the back:

 

 

[captaxe]

Maybe a 1st Div patch on the sergeants M41??

[Johan Willaert]

The Capt is Capt Samuel H BALL, Company Commander A/146th Engineer Combat Bn, who received the DSO for his actions on Omaha Beach on June 6th, 1944. He was in charge of the four Gap Teams on Dog Green and Dog White Beaches (source SDD from Jon Gawne)

 

Other pictures here: http://www.146thecbwwii.org/PhotoArchive.html

[Johan Willaert]

You might want to look at the George Stevens Color DVD 'From D-Day to Berlin'; it has color footage from this ceremony

[captaxe]

Thanks Johan-- Great info. I have the DVD and am going to queue it up now!

[Johan Willaert]

You're welcome....

 

If you ever want to part with this picture, just holler!!!

[captaxe]

Courtesy of the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion website, and the link to it provided by Johan, here is an alternate view of Capt. Ball receiving his DSO:

 

[Johan Willaert]

The Sgt from the Big Red One is T/Sgt Phil Streczyk of the 1st Division's 16IR. He was awarded the Military medal for leading his men thru a minefield off Omaha Beach on D-Day

 

More info: http://warchronicle.com/16th_infantry/sold...reczyk_pics.htm

 

[Marne]

The Sgt from the Big Red One is T/Sgt Phil Streczyk of the 1st Division's 16IR. He was awarded the DSO for leading his men thru a minefield off Omaha Beach on D-Day

 

More info: http://warchronicle.com/16th_infantry/sold...reczyk_pics.htm

 

 

 

Are you sure it is a DSO ? I thought DSO medals were only for officer ? May be Military Medal ?

[Johan Willaert]

Are you sure it is a DSO ? I thought DSO medals were only for officer ? May be Military Medal ?

 

Yes, you're right, it was the Military Medal!!! Changed my post above.

Thanks for pointing that out!

 

Phil Streczyk (T/Sgt.) Distinguished Service Cross, British Military Medal, Silver Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart. For more, see see Phil Streczyk homecoming and picture file. The undated article below is from the Streczyk family scrapbook.

 

East Brunswick Soldier

Accumulates Decorations

Sergeant Phillip Streczyk, East Brunswick Township infantryman is just about one of the most decorated men from Middlesex County in the European war area and if his past exploits may be used as a yardstick for the fuss he raises with the Nazis in the future, his chest will be weighed down when he returns home.

 

Here’s the list:

 

The Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Good Conduct ribbon, the British Military Medal for Gallantry, the Silver Star, an Oak Leaf cluster to add to the Silver Star, and lately the coveted Distinguished Service Cross.

 

The Silver Star was first awarded to Sergeant Streczyk for his courage during operations in the Sicilian invasion and later, in the Italian campaign, he won a similar award in the form of the Oak Leaf cluster to the original medal.

 

His British Military Medal, presented to him personally by General Sir Bernard Montgomery was awarded for “gallantry on D-Day in clearing enemy trenches” as Allied assault troops stormed inland from beachheads in Normandy. His sister, Mrs. Sophie Semchenko, RFD No. 1, New Brunswick, has among her possessions the front page of a London newspaper showing a picture of General Montgomery pinning the medal on her brother’s uniform.

 

Sergeant Streczyk, 25 years old, entered service in September 1941 and went overseas in June 1942. His brother, John, is with the Seabees on Marshall Islands and his nephew, Stanley Semchenko, is with an infantry outfit at Camp Blanding, Fla.

 

http://warchronicle.com/16th_infantry/sold...Phil%20Streczyk

[captaxe]

Here is the wording from Sgt. Streczyk's British Military Medal citation, courtesy of links to the 16th IR website provided by Johan:

 

“For gallantry in action against the enemy on 6 June 1944 near Colleville-sur-Mer, France. T/Sgt. Streczyk was one of the first men to enter the maze of trenches and dugouts, and in desperate hand to hand fighting cleared out compartment after compartment. In this fighting he captured an officer and 20 enemy soldiers. He then, with complete disregard for own safety and without assistance, assaulted and destroyed an enemy machine gun nest. The heroic and courageous actions of T/Sgt. Streczyk were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States."

 

Thanks again Johan!

[jgawne]

SDD, is there nothing it can't solve?